Do you believe in ghosts? Let's see what the Bible says
Many of us heard this question when we were kids, especially around Halloween, but we don't think much about it as adults.
Do Christians believe in ghosts?
Are there ghosts in the Bible? The term itself is displayed, but what it means can be confusing. In this short study, we will see what the Bible says about ghosts and what conclusions we can draw from our Christian beliefs.
Where are the ghosts in the Bible?
Jesus' disciples were on a boat in the Sea of Galilee, but he was not with them. Matteo tells us what happened:
Just before dawn, Jesus came out of them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "He's a ghost," they said, and shouted in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Have courage! It's me. Do not be afraid". (Matthew 14: 25-27, NIV)
Mark and Luke report the same incident. The authors of the gospel give no explanation of the word phantom. Interestingly, the King James version of the Bible, published in 1611, uses the term "spirit" in this passage, but when the New Diodati came out in 1982, he translated the term back to the "ghost". Most other subsequent translations, including NIV, ESV, NASB, Amplified, Message and Good News, use the word phantom in this verse.
After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples. Once again they were terrified:
They were scared and scared, thinking they had seen a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you troubled and why doubts arise in your mind? Look at my hands and feet. I am myself! Touch me and see; a ghost has no flesh and bones, as you see I have. " (Luke 24: 37-39, NIV)
Jesus did not believe in ghosts; he knew the truth, but his superstitious apostles had accepted that popular story. When they encountered something they couldn't understand, they immediately took it to be a ghost.
The issue is further confused when, in some older translations, "ghost" is used instead of "spirit". King James' version refers to the Holy Spirit and in John 19:30 he says:
When Jesus then received the vinegar, he said: It is finished: and he bowed his head and abandoned the ghost.
The new version of King James translates the ghost into spirit, including all references to the Holy Spirit.
Samuel, a ghost or something else?
Something ghostly emerged in an incident described in 1 Samuel 28: 7-20. King Saul was preparing to fight against the Philistines, but the Lord had turned away from him. Saul wanted to get a prediction on the outcome of the battle, so he consulted a medium, the witch of Endor. He ordered her to recall the spirit of the prophet Samuel.
A "ghostly figure" of an old man appeared and the medium was surprised. The figure scolded Saul, then told him that he would lose not only the battle but also his life and that of his children.
Scholars are divided on what the apparition was. Some say it was a demon, a fallen angel, who impersonated Samuel. They note that he came out of the earth instead of down from the sky and that Saul did not actually look at him. Saul had his face on the ground. Other experts believe that God intervened and made Samuel's spirit manifest to Saul.
Isaiah's book twice mentions ghosts. The spirits of the dead are prophesied to greet the king of Babylon in hell:
The kingdom of the dead below is all ready to meet you at your coming; awaken the spirits of the dead to greet you, all those who were leaders in the world; resurrects them from their thrones, all who were kings over the nations. (Isaiah 14: 9, NIV)
And in Isaiah 29: 4, the prophet warns the people of Jerusalem of an imminent attack by the enemy, despite knowing that his warning will not be heard:
Carried down, you will speak from the ground; your speech will mutter from the dust. Your voice will be ghostly from the earth; from the dust your speech will whisper. (NIV)
The truth about ghosts in the Bible
To put the ghost controversy into perspective, it is important to understand the Bible's teaching on life after death. The scriptures say that when people die, their spirit and soul immediately go to heaven or hell. Let's not wander the earth:
Yes, we are fully confident and would prefer to be away from these earthly bodies, because then we will be at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5: 8, NLT)
So-called ghosts are demons who present themselves as dead people. Satan and his followers are liars, intent on spreading confusion, fear and distrust of God. If they manage to convince mediums, such as the woman of Endor, who actually communicate with the dead, those demons can attract many to the true God:
... to prevent Satan from surprising us. Because we are not unaware of its patterns. (2 Corinthians 2:11, NIV)
The Bible tells us that there is a spiritual kingdom, invisible to human eyes. It is populated by God and his angels, Satan and his fallen angels or demons. Despite the claims of non-believers, there are no ghosts that roam the earth. The spirits of deceased humans live in one of these two places: heaven or hell.